MacFixIt reports that the final release of Panther definitely won't support beige G3 or earlier PowerMacs, nor will it support PowerBook G3s that lack built-in USB ports.

The report quotes one developer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, as saying:

"Any successful installations [ie current ones] are likely to be unstable and definitely unsupported. Future builds will not even install on these models. I've been directly told this is the case. [...] This is in keeping with Apple's statement that it will support its computers for a period of five years before considering them obsolete/vintage."

Although this information (assuming it's true) isn't particularly surprising, it will be an affront to more than a few Mac users.

Editor's note: So, should Apple support Macs that are more than five years old in new OS releases? Or, alternately, would extended support merely hold the platform back for laggardly few?